BASEBALL

BASEBALL; Yankees Withdraw Rich Offer To Bonds

By JACK CURRY

Published: December 3, 1992

Barry Bonds did not think $36 million was enough for him to play baseball in the Bronx for the next five years. The superstar free agent wanted $43 million over six years. The Yankees refused to budge on the extra year and the extra millions, so last night they withdrew their offer and said their interest in this year's top free-agent prospect had vanished.

After making a contract offer on Monday that would have made Bonds the highest-paid player in baseball, General Manager Gene Michael gave Bonds and his agent, Dennis Gilbert, two days to accept it. But Gilbert told Michael last night that his client wanted a guaranteed sixth year. Michael ended negotations.

"We wanted him and now it's off," Michael said in a phone interview from Tampa, Fla. "We're going for pitching. Maybe it's the right thing to do. We will not have Barry Bonds with a sixth year."

The Yankees were willing to offer Bonds a sixth year at their option, but Gilbert would not agree to that condition. For Michael, it was the fourth time in the last week he had withdrawn an offer to a free agent. Nonetheless, he was not perturbed at forfeiting the chance to sign the 28-year-old Bonds, the National League most valuable player last season.

"We have to draw the line somewhere," Michael said. "I have no regrets saying we did not offer him a sixth year. We offered him a fantastic contract for five years. We really went out of our way to make a nice offer."

Gilbert was unavailable for comment because he was attending a dinner in Los Angeles last night, but Brian Cohen, one of his associates, said he thought the two sides were still negotiating. But when he was apprised of Michael's comments, Cohen said, "If that's what the Yankees are saying, so be it."

Before the Yankees withdrew their offer, the interest in Bonds from other teams had narrowed, if not disappeared altogether. Though Cohen insisted that four teams maintained interest in Bonds, the general managers of five teams -- the Cubs, Phillies, Royals, Dodgers and Angels -- said yesterday that they were not pursuing the former Pirates outfielder or were not prepared to spend the money it will take to sign him.

Furthermore, the Atlanta Braves, the team that seemingly was the front-runner to sign Bonds, said on Tuesday that they were no longer chasing him, either. The Braves' president, Stan Kasten, said Atlanta had dropped out of contention, but it is possible that withdrawal is only temporary in order to gain a negotiating advantage.

Michael said pitching would become his focus now that Bonds was out of the picture. He met with the National League Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux and his agent, Scott Boras, for six hours Tuesday, and the former Cubs right-hander is believed to have been offered a five-year, $30 million contract by the Yankees. He is not expected to sign before the owners' winter meetings on Saturday because he is still considering other teams. Trades Still Possible

"We feel he is sincere about wanting to play in New York," Michael said. "New York does not scare him."

If the Yankees cannot secure Maddux or another free agent ace like David Cone or Greg Swindell, Michael said they would attempt to trade for pitching. Trade talks with the California Angels involving Jim Abbott have been endless, but Michael said there were trade possibilities in the National League.

Exactly one year after they signed Bobby Bonilla to a five-year, $29 million contract, the Mets signed another free agent yesterday. This one, however, will cost them only $300,000, and the salary isn't even guaranteed.

Roger Mason, a relief pitcher released by the Pittsburgh Pirates two weeks ago, reached agreement with the Mets on a one-year contract. In 1992, his first full season in the majors, the 34-year-old right-hander appeared in 65 games with the Pirates, compiling a 5-7 record with 8 saves and a 4.09 earned run average.

In other free-agent matters yesterday, pitcher Chris Bosio was reported close to agreeing to a four-year deal with the Seattle Mariners, catcher Steve Lake accepted a one-year contract from the Chicago Cubs for a non-guaranteed $275,000, and shortstop Alan Trammell, whose 16 years in the majors have all been with the Tigers, agreed to a one-year deal with Detroit worth $1.5 million plus performance bonuses and an option for 1994. "I didn't even want to think about playing anywhere else," said Trammell.

In San Francisco, where Roger Craig was dismissed as Giants manager on Tuesday, the newly appointed general manager, Bob Quinn, interviewed one of Craig's coaches, Dusty Baker, yesterday.